would have had an easy time of it getting their wooden flock to market.
But none of the rivers in this part of the country go quietly on their
way from source to outlet. Falls and rapids are of frequent occurrence,
and it is these which add difficulty and danger to the lumberman's
work. Carrying pike-poles and cant-hooks, the former being simply long
tough ash poles with a sharp spike on the business end, and the latter
shorter stouter poles, something like the handle of a shovel, with a
curious curved iron attachment that took a firm grip of a log and enabled
the worker to roll its lazy bulk over and over in the direction he
desired--with these weapons taking the place of the axe and saw, the men
set off on their journey down the river side, two of the boats going
ahead, and two bringing up the rear.

Frank felt in great spirits. He was thoroughly expert in the management
of a _bonne_, and the voyage down the river in this lovely spring weather
could be only continued enjoyment, especially as beyond steering the boat
he had nothing to do, and it would be practically one long holiday. There
were nearly twenty thousand logs to be guided, coaxed, rolled, and shoved
for one hundred miles or more through sullen pools, sleeping reaches,
turbulent rapids, and roaring falls, where, as if they were living
things, they would seem to exhaust every possible means of delay. The way
in which they would stick at some critical point and pile one upon
another, until the whole river was blocked, defies description; and one
seeing the spectacle for the first time might well be pardoned if he were
to be positive that there could be no way of bringing order out of so
hopeless a confusion, and releasing the tangled obstructed mass.

For the first few days matters went very smoothly, the river being
deep and swift, and the logs giving little trouble. Of course, numbers of
them were continually stranding on the banks, but the watchful drivers